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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29609841">Interspace</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluespiirit/pseuds/bluespiirit'>bluespiirit</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Hatake Kakashi is Bad at Feelings, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-20 13:35:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,809</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29609841</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluespiirit/pseuds/bluespiirit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Even when Kakashi is so close that Gai could easily reach out and trace that beautiful scar on his face, there's a distance between them that Gai hasn't quite figured out how to close.</p><p>A series of drabbles/ficlets following Kakashi and Gai as they try to navigate the complexities of their relationship.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hatake Kakashi/Maito Gai | Might Guy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>59</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Just a heads up, there will be mentions of sex and maybe mild descriptions. However, there won't be any graphic scenes as I can't write smut to save my life. Thanks for reading:)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nothing has changed about their rivalry. They still complete missions together, compete in wildly dangerous challenges that are ridiculous to everyone but the two of them, spar with each other whenever they both have the time, and have unnecessary eating contests afterwards.</p><p>Nothing has changed about their rivalry. Except for the fact that these days Kakashi seems to go home with Gai more nights than not, always leaving before morning comes, and it feels like an unspoken rule between them that they don't ever mention their nighttime activities in the daylight.</p><p>But Gai is fine with it.</p><p>And so is Kakashi.</p><p>Except that sometimes Kakashi will catch Gai staring at him for too long in public, eyes affectionate, and he has to look away because it makes something in his chest flutter and hurt all at once, and it feels like there's a tug of war going on inside of him. Sometimes he feels the urge to return that gaze, but cowardice and fear win out, always.</p><p>And sometimes Gai notices that Kakashi seems to touch him more often; a tentative brush across the back of his hand here or a too-long shoulder grip there. But then Kakashi acts like it was nothing and shrinks back into himself, and Gai has to pretend like he doesn't notice. Each time it happens, it diminishes the flicker of hope that he has allowed to stow away in his heart against his better judgement.</p><p>Lately it feels like maybe everything about their rivalry has changed.</p><p>And this unspoken thing between them - whatever it is - somehow feels like too much and not nearly enough at the same time.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I thought that making this fic would be a fun way to practice writing Kakagai. Most of these will probably be very short. If you like them, please leave kudos/comments. Any type of feedback makes my day and is very encouraging!</p><p>Sidenote: I just started reading Kakagai fics and it's honestly criminal how few writers/fics there are out there. How is Kakairu the most popular Kakashi ship when Kakagai is RIGHT THERE?? Anyway this pairing is amazing and I love them.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gai loves having sex with Kakashi.</p><p>It's not even about the physical pleasure - well, okay, he'd be lying if he said sex with Kakashi wasn't mind-blowing. He'd be lying if he said he didn't enjoy the electrifying sensation of being with him, the pure feeling of bliss he got when he felt Kakashi's hands trail all over his body.</p><p>But that's not nearly the best part.</p><p>There's an openness that Gai doesn't get to see when Kakashi is fully clothed, a layer that he gets to peel back when his bare body covers Kakashi's, when their eyes meet and lust and affection is present clear as day in Kakashi's eyes, one dark and one fiery red.</p><p>It's during these trysts that he gets to make beautiful sounds fall from Kakashi's lips, gets to explore Kakashi's body with his tongue and find new places to lick that make him gasp and shiver.</p><p>It's during these sessions that Gai is introduced to a tenderness that he never knew lived in Kakashi, gets to draw out these well-kept secrets his body holds.</p><p>It's during sex that he feels impossibly close to Kakashi, relishes in the fact that he gets to have him, unmasked, in any and every way, even if it's only for a short period of time.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first time Kakashi spends the night at Gai's apartment, he is lying on the other side of the mattress, mask pulled back over his face, hiding the mouth that had only minutes ago been pressed against Gai's lips, his neck, his chest, his dic-</p>
<p>"It must be cold all the way over there," Gai remarks, a forced playfulness in his voice. He misses the feel of Kakashi's body pressed against him; the warmth that had previously enveloped him has left an icy emptiness now that it's gone. "My side of the bed is more than warm enough."</p>
<p>It's about the tenth time Gai has asked him to stay the night and the first time Kakashi has relented. Gai can't fathom why it's taken Kakashi so long to agree to spend the night with him, seeing as how they've done plenty of other activities in bed. They've been close in ways neither of them had been before with anyone else, yet he's never gotten the pleasure of being able to fall asleep in Kakashi's arms.</p>
<p>"I don't mind it," Kakashi is staring at the ceiling, avoiding looking Gai directly in the eyes. "Besides, the cold has never bothered me. You know that."</p>
<p>"Nonsense! I seem to remember a certain mission in the Land of Snow where all you did was complain about how cold it was. 'Gai, hurry up, I'm gonna freeze half to death.'" He does his best to mock Kakashi's voice which earns him a snort. "And after we defeated all of the enemies you made me carry you back to base, claiming your toes were too frozen for you to walk. You were insufferable that whole mission!"</p>
<p>"I don't seem to recall that mission." Gai can hear the hint of amusement that has snuck into Kakashi's voice. "At any rate, since you claim I can't handle the cold, maybe it'll be good training for me to stay over here, don't you think? It'd be... a challenge, you could say. A test of endurance."</p>
<p>Gai knew evasion was one of Kakashi's finest skills, but sometimes he forgot just how good he was. "You've never been so open to a challenge before," he grumbles, mad at Kakashi for twisting the situation so easily and mad at himself for not having seen this coming. "Besides, we're going to sleep. There's no need for that right now."</p>
<p>Kakashi clicked his tongue in disapproval. "Shouldn't a shinobi take every opportunity to train that he gets? That's what you tell me all the time anyway. This is really not like you, Gai." Kakashi is still staring intently at that spot on the ceiling and trying too hard to match the feigned playfulness that has masked the tenseness of this exchange.</p>
<p>Gai knows when he is beat; he has no comeback and there is no way Kakashi will yield now. "Very well. Have your little 'test of endurance,' then." He can't help the fact that the bitterness he has been holding inside for weeks now bleeds into his words, making them come out sounding harsher than he intended. Kakashi has gone silent, so Gai just sighs as he turns away from him and shuts off the lamp.</p>
<p>"Goodnight, Gai," Kakashi says after a while. His voice sounds genuine now, and Gai can hear a hint of an apology in it. Not that it makes him feel any better.</p>
<p>Gai moves onto his back, closing his eyes and trying to ignore the heaviness he feels in his chest. "Goodnight, Kakashi."</p>
<p>Even when Kakashi is so close that Gai could easily reach out and trace that beautiful scar on his face, there's a distance between them that Gai hasn't quite figured out how to close.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Gai just wants to cuddle :(</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gai is startled awake by a sudden movement beside him, and he goes into defense mode instantly. He knows something is wrong, but his still-tired mind struggles to comprehend exactly what's happening at first. It takes him a moment to remember that Kakashi is sleeping next to him, and that realization in itself startles him a bit. It takes another few seconds to realize that he's the one responsible for the commotion going on next to him.</p>
<p>Kakashi is restless, almost shaking as he thrashes around in bed, breathing turned heavy and seemingly still asleep. He's murmuring something but Gai can't make out any coherent sentences, just random agitated words that don't make any sense to him. He must be having a nightmare, Gai realizes.</p>
<p>Gai had been on enough overnight missions with Kakashi when they were younger to know that sometimes he had trouble sleeping and other times he had bad dreams, but Gai had never seen them this intense before. He'd never seen this kind of reaction from him. And after all these years, his rival still suffered from nightmares?</p>
<p>"Kakashi!" Gai reaches out in the darkness towards the outline of Kakashi, only softly illuminated by the small stream of light coming in from the blinds. He sees a flash of silver, a wet eyelid, and then an arm that he reaches for. He tries to gently shake him awake to no avail. Even though he knows Kakashi will be okay, that he's only stuck in a nightmare, worry rises in his chest because he has never seen him quite like this. Panicked and so... fragile.</p>
<p>Kakashi isn't waking up and he can't think of anything else to do, so his arms find the rest of his body and he tries to pull it to his own, thinking that he can comfort Kakashi's agitated body with his own mostly calm one.</p>
<p>Suddenly Kakashi gasps and his body tenses up as he pulls free of Gai's embrace, sitting up in bed and trying desperately to catch his breath.</p>
<p>"Kakashi, are you okay?" He reaches out for him again, but Kakashi pulls away from his touch as if he's been stung. Gai tries to ignore the pang in his heart at being rebuffed.</p>
<p>Kakashi turns away from him stiffly, cold and distant as ever, voice sounding hoarse and strangely wobbly. "I'm fine, Gai. Go back to sleep." His voice is firm in its dismissal, and it's clear that he's shutting down Gai's concern as he lies back down on the bed, facing away from him.</p>
<p>Neither of them fall back asleep for a long time after that. Gai is tortured by the silence that ensues, is weighed down by the heaviness of it. Kakashi's breathing has steadied but not quite returned to its normal rhythm. Gai wants to say something, anything that can help him feel better.</p>
<p>
  <em>Do you want to talk about it?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>I'm here for you</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>I'll listen if you'll let me</em>
</p>
<p>Something stops him from attempting to reach out to Kakashi. The silence seems to take form and flow into his body, closing around his vocal cords so he feels like he couldn't speak even if he wanted to. And maybe it's for the best. He knows Hatake Kakashi is not a man who would appreciate being coddled. He is not a man who can be comforted with well-meaning words or warm embraces.</p>
<p>Gai knows this, yet his mind still digs for ways he can let his rival know that he's here for him, that Gai will be here in any way Kakashi needs him to be. But there seems to be nothing in existence that he can say, nothing he can do, so he lets his mind race and race, and eventually he falls back asleep thinking that maybe he will never be able to fully understand Kakashi's pain.</p>
<p>In the morning, Kakashi acts as if nothing happened, and Gai has to force a smile on his face as he bids his rival farewell, even though the regret that is evident in Kakashi's visible eye makes him feel like there are mountains between them, and it's enough to make his heart feel like it's shattering to pieces.</p>
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